Make Mine a Virgin, Please
by mmldt
Summary: Cupcake fic - revisiting Steph and Mary Lou in their teenage years. Rated M for language and sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

_Just borrowing JE's characters, not making any money off of this, and so forth. _

* * *

It was the summer before my sixteenth birthday, and Mary Lou had managed to score us invites to Bobby Whitaker's end-of-the-summer blast. He had an inground pool in his backyard, and the party theme was supposed to be Hawaiian luau. Anybody who was anybody was going to be there, and since Lenny and Mary Lou were in their off-again phase, she was on the prowl for a new guy.

I was watching out our living room window for any sign of Mary Lou's Camaro. She'd turned sixteen a month earlier, and her parents had surprised her with a car. It'd been her uncle's, but he'd sold it to her dad way below blue book value. In fact, he'd sold off everything he owned, and he took the money and bought a motorcycle. He'd already left for California, with just the bike and the clothes on his back. I'd never admitted it to Mary Lou, but I'd had such a huge crush on him. He was twenty-four and looked a little bit like Johnny Depp. Not _Edward Scissorhands_ Johnny Depp. The _21 Jump Street_ version.

I finally spotted her car making its way down the street, so I yelled out to Valerie on my way to the door. "I'm going to the mall with Mary Lou. Tell mom where I am when she gets home."

My mother was volunteering at the hospital that day and wouldn't be home for hours. She usually worked the gift shop, which came in handy for me whenever I wanted to buy candy and chocolate bars. She didn't get much of a discount, but every bit helped. My allowance only stretched so far.

Valerie was my goody-two-shoes sister who never trusted a word I said. "Yeah, right, Steph. And by '_mall_' you mean _Mary Lou's garage to smoke cigarettes_, right?"

Valerie knew good and well that Mary Lou and I never smoked, but that still didn't stop her from saying it. What always surprised me, though, was she never accused us of drinking, which was something we _did_ like to do whenever we could sneak it. The best I could figure was Valerie was just that stupid, and I looked forward to the day that she'd go off to college, join some lame sorority, and get picked on by prettier girls.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "Shut up, Val. Just tell her where I am, _okay_?"

"Yeah, I'll tell her all right, and I'll also ..." But the sound of her voice was drowned out by the slamming of the door. I hopped in the car, and Mary Lou roared out. The music was blaring, and our hair was whipping wildly around our faces. Not because we wanted to look cool but because she didn't have air conditioning.

"So guess who's gonna be at the party tomorrow night?"

"Lenny." It wasn't much of a guess, but I really wasn't in the mood to play.

"Probably, but that's not who I mean. Try again."

"_Just tell me Mary Lou_. There's too many possibilities for me to guess."

"Fine, be a spoiled sport. Joe Morelli's who," she said with a huge grin.

"Are you serious?!" I yelled. Joe Morelli was seventeen years old and only the hottest guy around. Just the mention of his name evoked the same reaction from any girl, as if she were one of Pavlov's dogs. We'd start to drool and then fantasize that he'd actually breathe in our general direction.

I'd had a run-in with him when I was six years old, and my mother had ordered me to stay away from him the moment she'd found out. We'd basically played a different version of 'doctor,' and I would've gotten away with it had I been clever enough to realize my panties were on inside out and fixed them before she noticed.

But I hadn't, so Joe Morelli was the eternal forbidden fruit in my sheltered little world. I could look all I wanted, but I knew I could never touch. Not that it mattered much anyway. I wasn't exactly his type. He seemed to like slutty blondes with big boobs like captain of the Varsity cheerleaders, Terry Gilman. Curly-haired brunettes that twirled a baton didn't seem to be on his list of girls to score with.

"Dead serious," Mary Lou continued. "I heard from Janie, who heard from Becca, who found out from Paula that he broke up with Terry, and he's definitely gonna be there."

Bobby Whitaker was one of Terry's many exes, so if Joe was still with Terry, he'd never be at the party. However, if the breakup rumor were true, there was actually a chance he could make an appearance.

I smiled to myself, imagining how hot he'd look diving into the pool. His wavy dark hair wet and dripping, his broad tanned shoulders glistening with drops of water. I discreetly wiped at my mouth and squirmed in my seat. Thankfully Mary Lou hadn't noticed. She was busy trying to merge into the mall traffic.

We made our way to the Junior's department in Macy's and began browsing the swimsuits. Mary Lou picked out a bikini, and I went for the traditional one-piece.

"_Come on, Steph_. You're always complaining you want a steady boyfriend, and then you pick out that thing? Do you honestly think Joe's gonna look twice at you if you're wearing that? Be daring for once. Remember, it's for you. Not your grandma."

I made a face at her and was immediately on the defensive. "There is nothing wrong with this! See, it's open on both sides, so it shows some skin."

"Omigod, you're such a nasty little whore! A whole four inches of flesh exposed on your sides?! No wonder you're busy every weekend, screwing all the guys on the football team."

"Shut up!" I yelled, embarrassed because a little old lady walking by had heard her, and she was staring at me like I really was a slut.

Mary Lou shook her head and started walking to the lady at the dressing room counter. "Just one," she told her. Then she turned back to me. "Well I plan on making Lenny very jealous tomorrow night, and this should do the trick."

"You two are so pathetic. This on-again/off-again crap is getting old, you know. Just be done with him and move on."

"I'll start listening to you once you've had a real relationship. Or at least once you've finally done it with a guy."

"There's more to life than sex," I told her, but who was I kidding? I was just as bad as she was. The only difference being she was actually doing it while I was merely sitting at home dreaming about it. She was content with Lenny, but I was holding out for Prince Charming.

* * *

The next afternoon I called my mother at the hospital to tell her I was spending the night at Mary Lou's house.

"I don't know, Stephanie. It's the last Friday before school starts. We should get up early tomorrow and go shopping for the rest of your school supplies and get you some new underwear. You'll have to change in gym class, and you need to make certain you're wearing brand new ones."

"Oh my God, mom," I whined, realizing what I was saying as the words were coming out of my mouth.

"Stephanie Plum! What have I told you about taking the Lord's name in vain? You're going to be such a chatty girl at your next confession."

_If she only knew_, I thought. "Sorry," I whined. "But can't we do all of that later tomorrow? I really wanna go to Mary Lou's. We already have plans to go to the movies. _Please_?" I begged. "_Pretty please_?"

"What did your father say?"

I was as good as in as soon as I heard that. My father never said no.

"He said yes, as long as it was okay with you." I'd crossed my fingers before I said it, but I knew I'd probably still confess it. A lie was a lie, even if you were following the rules of your peers.

"Alright, but I want you home before noon. Do you understand?"

"Yes! Thank you, thank you!" I hung up the phone and smiled. It was so much easier staying the night at Mary Lou's house instead of sneaking out the bathroom window and having to spend the evening stressed out about getting caught.

I packed my clothes in my backpack and slung it on my back. Then I rode my bike over to her house.

"Hi Mrs. Molnar," I said with a smile, walking through the kitchen door. "Is Mary Lou in her room?"

"Hi Steph," her mother answered. Mary Lou's family went to the same church that my family did, but they didn't go very often, and they weren't exactly all that religious. Her parents were laid back and believed in the open and honest approach to parenting. It was such a completely different environment from my house, and I loved being over there. "I think she's still over at Lenny's, but you can wait here with me, if you'd like."

She reached into the fridge and grabbed two cans of soda, one for each of us. "Thanks," I said, popping the top and taking a swig. There was nothing like the burn of carbonation on a hot summer day. I grabbed a brownie from the plate in front of me and frowned. "Lenny's house, huh?"

Her mother nodded and smiled. "You know those two. They can't stay away from each other."

When Mary Lou had decided she was ready to go all the way with Lenny, she told her mother, who then took her to Planned Parenthood so she could be put on the pill. No one else knew about this, and by that I mean _my parents, particularly my mother, didn't know_, and I intended to keep it that way. They'd never let me hang around with Mary Lou again if they did.

"What about you Steph? When are you going to settle down with a boy?" She tapped her cigarette pack on the counter lightly until one of them was slightly peeking out. She pulled it the rest of the way, put it between her lips, and flicked her lighter. She inhaled and then blew smoke in the opposite direction. "I've really got to give these things up," she mumbled to herself, then she looked back at me, waiting for my answer.

"I'm not in a hurry," I told her, reaching down to run my hand along Sebastian's back. Sebastian was their 9 year old Himalayan, and he was absolutely gorgeous. I'd never been able to have a pet because of Valerie's allergies, so I loved coming to Mary Lou's house and playing with hers. She also had a weenie dog named Penny Lane who loved to eat the crust from our sandwiches.

"Just remember, _when you are ready, _you need to protect yourself first and foremost."

I nodded my head and smiled. Never in a million years would my mother have said that. If she'd say anything at all, her most likely response would be, "Just remember, _when you are ready_, keep your Bible on the bed beside you and remind him that you're a good Catholic girl first and foremost."

After another thirty minutes, Mary Lou finally came bouncing through the front door and into the kitchen, a huge grin plastered on her face. She grabbed a brownie and pulled me by the elbow. "Come on. We've gotta talk."

We locked ourselves in her room, and Mary Lou plopped down on her bed. I sat at her desk and swiveled around in her chair. "I know already. You and Lenny are back together again."

"Yeah, but that's not what I wanna tell you."

"Well what then?" I asked, grabbing her hand mirror and staring at my nose in it. "I think I'm getting a zit," I whined.

"Guess who stopped by the shop this afternoon?"

I shrugged my shoulders because that sounded boring. I hated it whenever she talked about Lenny's dad's shop.

"You won't be shrugging once I tell you," she teased.

"I'll never guess so just say it."

"Who were we just talking about yesterday? A certain tall, dark, and handsome someone that you're madly in love with."

Now she had my attention. "Joe?!" I'd listen to any story having to do with the shop as long as it revolved around Joe Morelli.

"Yep. And Lenny said he mentioned your name."

"Get out!" I yelled it so loud that I scared Sebastian, making him hiss and crawl underneath the bed.

"Lenny told Joe he was going to Bobby's party, and he hoped I wasn't gonna be there." She paused for a second and added, "But that was before we got back together. Now he's glad I'm going."

"Get to the point," I said, shaking my hand in a '_hurry up'_ motion.

"So anyway, Joe asked him if you and I were still best friends, and when Lenny said yes, he smiled and then asked him how much for an oil change."

My face deflated at that. "He smiled and asked for an oil change? How exciting, Mary Lou!" I gave her the "_you're so stupid_" face that included an eye roll and a slightly uttered "uh" at the same time and then went back to looking at my non-existent zit.

She rolled her eyes at me and said, "Nothing ever makes you happy, _does it_?"

"I just don't see how that should make me happy. It's not like he asked if I was dating anybody or if Lenny knew if I put out."

Mary Lou thought about that one. "I gotta remember to tell Lenny to remind Joe the next time he talks to him that you're still a virgin. Remember, Joe Morelli specializes in virgins. You're as good as in that way." Then she giggled. "Or maybe I could get someone to lie and tell him that I'm still one. You wouldn't be mad if I screwed him just once, would you?"

I knew she was teasing, but I still picked up Penny Lane's squeaky hot dog and hit her in the head with it.

* * *

We'd been at the party for a good half hour and already I was bored. I was wearing my bathing suit but hadn't even ventured into the pool yet. I had on a multi-colored lei and a grass skirt that was itching the back of my thighs. I was terrified the party was going to get busted by the cops, so I'd decided not to drink.

"Hey Eddie," Mary Lou was saying, "I'll take a Strawberry Daiquiri. With extra Rum."

He looked over at me and smiled. "How 'bout you Steph?"

"I'll have the same, but make mine a virgin, please," I said, forgetting to whisper. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bobby and a group of his buddies staring at me, and then I heard them laugh.

I took my drink and hurried off to the open patio table, anxious to get away from them. Mary Lou grabbed her drink and said, "I'll be back in a bit." I saw her and Lenny making their way inside, and I figured they were going upstairs to make out.

That meant I was stuck hanging around with Paula. There was nothing wrong with her exactly, other than the fact that she constantly talked about meeting and marrying John Stamos. Of all the people to be obsessed with, I just didn't get it.

"And did you see the show last week?" she was saying while I was trying my best to get away.

"No, I missed it Paula, but I think I'm gonna get me another drink. Maybe something a little stronger this time."

I grabbed my glass and quickly turned around, smacking right into Joe Morelli's chest. He stared down at my bathing suit top and smiled. "Stephanie Plum," he teased, "what is a girl like you doing at a party like this? I'm going to call your mother and tell on you."

I smiled shyly and looked down, noticing that my nipples were poking out for all the world to see. I blushed when I realized that's why he'd been staring. I put my glass down on the table and crossed my arms over my chest. I wanted to say something clever but nothing came out of my mouth. Finally I managed to say, "It's okay. My mother knows I'm here. She trusts me."

He nodded his head and laughed at that one. "So I see you got your braces off," he said, his dark eyes lingering on my mouth. "Smile for me."

I did as he said, and he moved in closer. "Nice teeth." He moved in closer again. "Nice lips." I could feel his breath on my forehead. "You want to grab a drink and find somewhere quiet to go?"

I was trying to steady my breathing, and my thoughts were swarming. He definitely got straight to the point. And did I really want to go somewhere quiet with Joe Morelli? Maybe. I knew exactly what happened to girls who got quiet and alone with Joe Morelli, and I was extremely tempted.

"Uh," I stammered, "I already have a drink."

He stared down at the glass on the table and grinned. "So you do." He picked it up and took a sniff. "There's nothing in it?"

I shook my head, feeling my cheeks turning red. "No, it's a Virgin Daiquiri." I stood there silently berating myself for admitting to being so pathetic. But Joe just grinned.

"Virgin, huh?" His eyes moved lower again, and then he shook his head. "What a waste of a good time." He reached out and pulled gently at my hair. "So, what're you? Sixteen now?"

Just then Mary Lou walked up. "I'm sixteen," she said proudly. "Steph hasn't had her birthday yet. It's not til October."

He took a step back and stared me up and down, grinning. "Still fifteen? That's too bad." I blushed again because he'd said it like he'd just found out I wasn't quite yet potty-trained. "Well have a good time, Stephanie Plum." Then he pointed down at my drink. "You oughta try the real thing some time. Virgins are fine if you wanna be a good girl, but you really are missing out on all the fun."

He gave me a wink and walked off, making his way through the crowd. Probably looking for some girl who was already drunk and who'd take him up on his offer to get quiet and most likely naked upstairs.


	2. Chapter 2

It was two weeks before Thanksgiving break, and Mary Lou and I were bored to death in history class. Mr. Davis was droning on and on about the Great Depression, which I thought was a perfect subject for someone like him to be teaching.

After a while, I took out a sheet of paper and started to doodle. I was drawing sweet and innocent things like clouds and butterflies and ice cream cones, but then Mary Lou saw what I was doing, and she leaned over and snatched the paper off my desk.

When she finally passed it back to me, I saw she'd drawn three different sizes of penises, complete with testicles, and had written "Guess the owner of each" above them.

Unfortunately for me, I forgot that I was sitting in a classroom, and I burst out laughing. Immediately my hand flew to my mouth.

Mr. Davis looked up, scanning the class. Probably if I would've removed my hand he wouldn't have known it was me, but hindsight's 20/20, and it didn't really matter at that point. He wouldn't have let it rest until he found out who it was anyway.

"Stephanie, why don't you share with the class exactly what is so funny about loss of income, unemployment, and overall hard times? I fail to see the humor in all of this, but perhaps that's just me. Why don't you enlighten us?"

I swallowed hard and shook my head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Davis. There's nothing at all funny about those things."

"Then why are you laughing?" He raised an eyebrow and began walking towards me.

His eyes settled on my desk, and he said the words I prayed he wouldn't. "Perhaps there's something funny written on that piece of paper in front of you?"

I started shaking my head and instinctively began folding it in half. "No sir," I said, sending him silent pleas of mercy.

But Mr. Davis had a reputation, and leniency wasn't part of it. He was less than a foot away now, and I looked at Mary Lou as if she could help me. She covered her hand over her eyes, and I knew I was screwed.

He was finally standing beside me, and he held out his hand for the sheet of paper. I simply shook my head again and debated whether or not I should make a run for it.

"It's not a question. Hand me the paper. _Now_."

I bit down hard on my bottom lip and passed it over.

"Now let's share with the class what exactly is more important than the Great Depression. What is more important that you felt the need to call attention to yourself and away from our studies?"

I kept my head down, listening to the sound of the paper rustling in his hand. There was a pause, and then I heard him clear his throat. "Perhaps we won't be sharing this one after all."

He strode back to his desk, removed a slip of paper from his top drawer, and began writing fervently. Within minutes it was in my hand, and I stared down to see I'd been sentenced to a week's worth of detention.

Finally the bell rang, and I hightailed it out of there. Mary Lou was right on my heels, apologizing profusely.

"I am so sorry, Steph. _Please forgive me_!"

"It's not _your_ fault that I laughed," I told her. And even though I'd just gotten in trouble, I couldn't help but to giggle about it. "So who has the really hairy one?"

She leaned into my ear and whispered. "Omigod, Mary Lou, _you're sick_! I would've never guessed that in a million years. I don't _ever_ want to imagine what his penis looks like."

"So that's what you were drawing?" Eddie said, joining us as we made our way down the hall. "How is it you're still a virgin, Steph? Your mind is always in the gutter."

"It wasn't me," I shrieked. "It's her!" I stopped walking and pointed at Mary Lou. "_She's_ the perverted one, and I'm the one who always takes the fall."

"Did you draw mine?" Eddie asked hopefully.

"Eww, no!" I said. Then I looked at Mary Lou. "You didn't, did you? That would be gross."

Mary Lou shook her head no, and then I turned to face Eddie. "We don't think of you like that. You're like one of us. As far as I'm concerned, you don't have one of those."

"Uh, _yes I do_. A pretty impressive one, in fact." He looked somewhat hurt, but I just ignored him and followed along behind Mary Lou into the cafeteria.

"So how much detention did you get?" he asked.

"A whole week," I said with an eye roll. "This is going to put such a damper on my study time." Mary Lou and I giggled at that.

"That's what you're supposed to do in detention, stupid. _Study_."

"Duh, Eddie. But do you really think I'm gonna do that?" I thought about it for a second and then asked, "Isn't old Mrs. Murphy the warden? From what I've heard, she doesn't pay any attention to what goes on. It'll be a perfect time for me to catch up on some _serious_ reading."

Mary Lou and I giggled again. "Harlequins," I explained to Eddie. "We found a whole bunch in Valerie's room, and she's already folded the corners of all the pages with the really good sex scenes. They're detailed and everything." I grabbed a lunch tray and got in line behind a girl named Cindy.

Eddie placed a plastic fork and a napkin on his tray and then added the same to mine. I was always forgetting. "Well that'll be fun for you," he said. "Especially with Joe Morelli reading over your shoulder."

I whipped back around as soon as he said that. "What?!" My eyes were bulging out, and I could feel my heart racing.

"Yeah, he was sentenced to ten days of d-hall. So it looks like you'll be doing time with the man of your dreams."

"Shut up!" I fussed. Then I slapped him on the arm to let him know I was serious. Mary Lou smiled wide and said, "Call me the minute you get home!"

* * *

I'd made my way to detention immediately after the final bell rang. There were about five or six hoodlums already in there, and I walked straight to the back of the room, taking a desk in the corner. I figured that if I sat there, Joe couldn't sit behind me, and it didn't matter if he sat in front. Right beside me was still an option, but then I realized he probably wouldn't even notice me sitting there anyway. Especially if I hid behind my science book.

_Wrong_, I thought to myself, watching as he walked into the room and made his way to the desk to my left. He pushed it closer to mine and then sat down. I was trying my best to act casual, but I watched from the corner of my eye as he stretched his long legs out as far as he could.

He leaned back in his desk, resting his head against the wall, and then he turned to face me. "I heard you were gonna be here."

My heart was pounding, and I took a deep breath before I spoke. "How?" I squeaked. I cleared my throat and tried again. "Who told you?"

"Eddie Gazarra."

I narrowed my eyes at the mention of his name. He was going to pay. _Big time_.

"He said something about you having a pretty good book we could read to pass the time."

So Eddie _was_ upset about the penis remark I'd made, and before I could stop myself I was saying it out loud. "Yeah, he's just trying to get back at me, because I said he didn't have a pen …"

I quickly snapped my mouth shut, but it was too late. I'd already sounded out "peen" so it was obvious what word I was about to say.

Joe started laughing. "You told Gazarra he didn't have a dick?" He laughed again and said, "That's a different way to impress a guy and get his attention."

I felt my cheeks burning, and I silently prayed for the floor to open up and swallow me whole. "Me? Trying to impress Eddie?" I shook my head and made a face. "No way. He's like a brother." _But you're not_, I sat there wishing I had the nerve to say.

I could feel him staring at me, but I looked down, fumbling inside my bag, pretending to search for God knows what.

"So where's this book he was telling me about?"

"He was lying. Eddie's a big fat liar in case you didn't already know that."

"Pretty detailed lie. Said it was one of those romance books, and your sister had already marked the pages with the juicy stuff." He started laughing and said, "Hand it over. I wanna read it."

I shook my head. There was no way on earth I was giving him the book that I had.

"I'll tell my mother, and then she'll feel it's her duty to call your mom."

"You wouldn't!" I said, my eyes meeting his for the first time. Mrs. Murphy shushed me, and I blushed again.

"_Okay, I wouldn't_. But I was hoping to scare you into doing what I wanted." He leaned in close to me and whispered, "Except you're not that easy, _are you_?"

I felt that same feeling between my legs that I get when I'm reading the Harlequins, and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

He obviously noticed, because when he whispered again, it was directly in my ear. "Don't believe everything you hear about me. I like a challenge every now and then."

I swallowed hard and sat motionless until he pulled away. He smiled at me again and said, "You're not gonna share the book with me, are you?"

"I really don't have one," I lied, but then as I was pulling a notebook out of my bag, it fell out onto the floor.

I scrambled to get it, but Joe was too fast. My hand touched his, and I felt light-headed. We both lifted up at the same time, and we smacked heads. Hard.

"Ow," I yelled out, getting another shush from Mrs. Murphy.

I watched as Joe lightly rubbed at his head. "Geez, what's the big deal about this book that you're willing to give us both a concussion over it?"

"Nothing," I whispered. "It's not a big deal at all. Now give it back!"

But he just grinned and shook his head. "No way. You owe me now."

"_I _owe_ you_?"

"You've got a hard head! Feel this." He took my hand in his and ran it across the side of his head. His hair was silky smooth, and I was trying my best to stay calm and keep my breath sounds normal and quiet.

"That's not that big of a bump," I told him. "You're being a baby."

Then he moved closer to me and rubbed the side of my head where we'd made contact. "Yeah, nothing on you. Just like I thought."

His face was an inch away from mine, and before I realized what was happening, his lips were brushing up against my forehead. He turned to see what Mrs. Murphy was doing, but she was busy reading _Woman's World,_ no clue whatsoever what _any of us_ were doing.

He lowered his mouth and pressed his lips against mine, and I felt a soft sigh escape before I could stop it. His tongue parted my lips, and then I took a peek at Mrs. Murphy. Still reading.

It wasn't my first kiss, but it might as well have been. I'd never felt anything that incredible in my life. It didn't last long, and when Joe pulled away, he simply picked up the book and said, "Which page do you recommend?"

I was trying to act natural, but inside I was screaming, "_Omigod_!" over and over again. The kiss had been gentle, and his tongue wasn't all over the place like the other boys I had French kissed. He knew exactly what he was doing, and I sat there trying to relive it, hoping I had seemed the same way. I stared over at his mouth, thinking how perfect his lips were. Hell, _he _was perfect. Well, except for the fact that he'd been sentenced to ten days of detention.

He'd flipped the book open to a page with a folded corner, and he was reading whatever it was that was written. I couldn't see the page number, but I knew basically what all the sex scenes were. There was one that took place outside, there was another one that was all about oral sex, and there was even one where the main character had been caught pleasuring herself and then the guy joined in and finished her off. I hoped and prayed it wasn't that one that he'd turned to first.

Finally he passed the book back over to me and grinned. I'd expected him to say he was going to tell my mother, but he didn't. "You shouldn't waste your time reading that crap," he said. "Doing all of that for real is much more exciting."

I felt the color rising up in my cheeks, but he simply smiled at me, his eyes dark and dreamy, his hair falling over his forehead. I imagined reaching up to brush it out of his eyes, while he was thrusting deep inside of me.

The sound of Mrs. Murphy's voice interrupted my thoughts. "For those of you who have detention tomorrow, same time, same place. For the rest of you, I hope to never see you here again."

Joe and I stood at the same time, and we picked up our things. "You need a ride home?" he asked.

A huge part of me wanted to say yes, but I figured it was best to just ride home with Mary Lou. She'd been nice enough to wait for me, and I didn't want to be rude. Not to mention I didn't want Joe Morelli to think I was desperate to be around him. "No, Mary Lou's giving me a ride. But thanks anyway," I told him.

"See you tomorrow then," he said with a smile and a wink.

I nodded my head and watched him walk out of the room. I'd noticed he had nice long fingers and rather big feet, and with such a nice ass, I stood there imagining which dick that Mary Lou had drawn was most like his. _Definitely the biggest one_, I thought, smiling to myself as I made my way out of the classroom.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning I woke up early so I'd have plenty of time to straighten my hair and do a much more serious makeup job. I picked out the cutest outfit I owned and then called Mary Lou for a ride to school. My dad usually dropped me off on his way to work, but I didn't want him thinking anything was out of the ordinary. Truth was he probably wouldn't have noticed, but I was feeling extremely self-conscious and didn't need anything additional to worry about.

"Look at you," Mary Lou said as soon as she drove up. "Trying to catch a certain someone's eye in detention?" she teased.

We giggled and gossiped all the way to school, and no sooner had we made it past the office then Eddie came bounding towards us. "Just the person I was looking for," he said, pulling my arm and dragging me off with him. Mary Lou had to pick up the pace to catch up with us. Eddie looked like he had something good, and there was no way she was being left out.

"_What_?" I asked, pulling my arm back and fixing my shirt. "God, you just about pulled my arm out of its socket, Eddie."

"So I was just talking to Dan, and he had something pretty interesting to say."

I glanced over at the clock in the hallway and then turned back to face Eddie. "We don't have much time before the bell rings. _Spill it_!"

Mary Lou had her compact out and was applying more gloss to her already shiny lips. "Yeah, Eddie, hurry up," she said, but she didn't really care. Mary Lou didn't stress about anything.

"Geez, Steph, there's something to be said for building the suspense."

"_Eddie_ ..." I said impatiently.

"Okay, okay, so Dan tells me his sister came home pissed off yesterday. Apparently she thought she was going out with Joe Morelli on Saturday night, but when she asked him about it, he blew her off. Told her he'd made other plans and to find someone else to go out with her."

I frowned at him and checked the time again. "Jenny's a huge slut. Everybody knows that."

"Yeah, you should ask her out Eddie," Mary Lou told him. "Or do you like being a virgin?"

"Shut up Mary Lou," Eddie told her.

"Both of you shut up," I yelled. "Just get to the point!"

"The point is, Joe ends up telling her he's taking someone else out on Saturday night." Eddie stood there grinning. "Guess who's name he said?"

"Terry Grizolli," Mary Lou volunteered. "She's another huge slut."

"Yeah, it's another slut," Eddie said with a laugh, "but it's not Terry."

"Who is it?" I asked, but he just stood there smiling. When it came to rumors about Joe and sluts, I didn't want to play around. "Eddie, you're pissing me the fuck off," I yelled out, right as Mr. Davis walked by.

"Stephanie Plum! That sort of language will not be tolerated in this school. You march yourself up to the office this very instance." He handed me a hall pass, and I let out a sigh. The bell rang, and he turned to Mary Lou and Eddie. "I believe the two of you have somewhere else you need to be right now." They nodded their heads but walked off in the same direction I was going.

I could hear Mary Lou giggling, and I turned around and shot them both a dirty look. "Thanks a lot, Eddie. You could've just told me who the slut was, and then I wouldn't be in trouble again."

"_It's you, Steph_. You're the slut he's taking out on Saturday night."

I stopped dead in my tracks, and Mary Lou barreled into me, knocking us both to the floor. Eddie was still laughing, but he extended an arm to each of us and helped us stand up.

Mary Lou adjusted her hair, and I pulled my skirt back down, hoping Eddie hadn't gotten a view of anything beneath it.

"Why'd you say it was another slut?!" I yelled at him. "I'm not a slut! I've never even had sex! How do you expect me to guess something when you don't even give me real clues?"

"God, Steph, you need to lighten up," he replied, still laughing. "I was trying to be funny. It was a joke. I think the entire state of New Jersey knows you're not a slut. In fact, aside from me, you're probably the only virgin left here in this school."

Mary Lou started laughing, and she nodded her head in agreement. "Maybe Eddie's predicting the future. You're not a slut now, but you'll probably wake up one on Sunday," she teased.

I swallowed hard and thought about what he had actually told me. "Are you sure Dan said that Jenny said that Joe said that it's me he's going out with Saturday night?"

"That's what Dan said that Jenny said."

I stood there chewing on my bottom lip. "He hasn't even asked me. That's kind of arrogant."

Mary Lou slapped me on the side of my head. "Uh, it's Joe Morelli, Steph. If anybody can be arrogant and get away with it, it's him."

I thought about that and frowned. I wasn't so sure I agreed. The second bell rang, and Eddie and Mary Lou took off. "Have fun in the office," she called out, and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hoffmeyer" I said. Dorothy Hoffmeyer was the school secretary, and she also happened to be a close friend of my Grandma Mazur, which was quite convenient for me.

"What did you say this time, and who heard?" she asked.

"Pissing. And it was Mr Davis."

She raised an eyebrow at me, and I gave her my most innocent smile. "Okay, maybe it was a word that starts with an f and rhymes with buck."

She shook her head at me. "Stephanie, it's a good thing I'm friends with your grandmother. You have to start watching that mouth of yours."

"I will Mrs. Hoffmeyer. I promise." I watched as she filled out the form for me to give Mr. Davis, which basically stated that my parents had been notified, and I'd been given a warning. Mrs. Hoffmeyer stamped it and sent me on my way. "Behave yourself," she said with a smile.

"I'll try. And thanks," I told her. I walked down the hall and turned the corner and found myself face-to-face with Joe Morelli. "Hi," I said shyly, and he just grinned. "Get in trouble again?" he asked teasingly.

"_No_," I lied. "I had to drop off some papers in the office."

"Sure you did. That's why you have this in your hand, huh?" He reached out and snatched the paper from me. He stared down at it, reading, and then he started grinning again. "You may not be as good of a girl as I used to think you were. First detention. Now this."

He moved closer to me, and my legs felt all tingly. I rested my body against the wall to steady myself, trying to act as if being in the presence of someone as hot as him was a commonplace thing for me.

"What other naughty things do you do, Stephanie Plum?" He flashed me a smile and stood there staring at me. "I like the skirt," he finally said. "But why'd you change your hair? I like it better with all the curls. It's much sexier that way." He gave me a wink, and then he was gone.

I let out a sigh and then hurried off to class. Some days it felt like I couldn't win no matter what.

I thought about Joe and Saturday night the entire day. On the one hand I was excited at the prospect of him asking me out. On the other hand, though, I thought it was rather presumptuous of him to assume I'd say yes. I kept going back and forth, debating what my answer would be when he finally did ask me.

Before I knew it, it was time for detention, and I took the same desk I'd taken the day before. After about ten minutes, I gave up hope that Joe was going to show. I pulled out my history book and started reading.

"Sorry I'm late Mrs. Murphy," I heard a familiar voice saying. "I had to help Mrs. O'Connor after class. She gave me this to give you."

Mrs Murphy looked it over and tossed it down on the desk. "No problem," was all she said, and then she went back to reading her Reader's Digest.

Joe sat down beside me and grinned. "Studying, huh? I think you're the first person that's ever done that in detention."

"What about you? Don't you ever study?"

"I study all the time," he said with a serious face. "Just not this shit."

I frowned at him and shook my head. "And what are you planning to do with your life?"

"You sound like my mother," he said. "But none of this matters much anyway. My time here in this hellhole is almost done."

"You still have the rest of the school year. It's only November."

"Nope, I'm graduating in January."

I sat up a little taller in my chair and tried to push back the frown that was forming. That wasn't at all what I wanted to hear. "You are? Why?"

"So I can start doing something with my life." He sat there staring at me, and then he smiled again. "What about studying with me after school? If I do most of it today, then I won't have to study over Thanksgiving break."

"What subject do you need to study?"

"All of them, but I guess I could start with history. We could do it together." He grinned again and pointed at the book. "Study history together, that is."

I swallowed hard and nodded my head, not even giving myself time to debate it. "I'll call my dad and let him know. I'm sure he won't mind."

* * *

"I thought we were going to study at the library," I said, staring up at Joe's house. That's where I'd told my father I was going to be in case he needed to reach me, and I hadn't exactly told him I was studying with a boy. Not to mention I wasn't sure how I felt about being around Joe's mother. She scared the crap out of me.

"You have to be quiet at the library," he explained, "and I like talking to you." He put his key in the lock and opened the door. We walked inside, and Joe shut the door behind us.

"Is anyone else here?" I asked nervously, glancing around the living room. From what I could tell the layout of his house seemed similar to mine, and I wondered which room upstairs was his.

He shook his head. "My brothers and sisters don't live here anymore, and my mom's at church. They're getting a head start on preparing Thanksgiving meals for the homeless."

"That's nice," I started to say when Joe pulled me to him. "Yeah," he whispered in my ear, "but you're nicer." His mouth was instantly on mine, and my heart started to beat faster.

"What if she walks in and catches us?" I asked, pushing back from him, trying to catch my breath.

"She won't be home until later this evening. We have the whole house to ourselves."

"But we shouldn't be doing this. I thought we were going to study?"

Joe leaned back and stared at me. "You believed that?" Then he laughed. "Come on Stephanie, you're not that naive, are you?" He pulled me to him and started to kiss me again, but I pushed him away.

"I'm not naive," I said angrily. I'd had a feeling he didn't really want to study, but at the same time, I didn't want him to think I was easy. "You told me you wanted to study, and that's the only reason I left school with you."

"Fine, don't get yourself all worked up." He took my hand and led me over to the couch. "We'll study." He sat down and motioned for me to sit next to him. As soon as I was beside him, though, he leaned into me and started lowering me down. "How about anatomy?" he asked. "I need some help with all the female parts." His mouth was on mine again, and I knew I should've protested, but his kisses were incredible, and I didn't want him to stop.

"I know you showed me everything before," he was saying, "but I can't remember exactly how you look." He started unbuttoning my blouse, and his other hand was slowly moving up my thigh beneath my skirt. "Besides that was a long time ago. It probably looks a little different down there now." He undid another button, revealing my bra to him. "I know _these_ are much different," he said, lowering one side and exposing my breast. He took my nipple in his mouth and began sucking gently, until I pushed him away.

"I-I don't think so," I said, quickly pulling my bra back up. "I'm not that kind of girl, and I think you owe me an apology." I was playing indignant, but what I really was was scared. A part of me desperately wanted to see him naked, but another part of me was terrified about what would happen if he ended up taking off his underwear.

I rebuttoned my shirt and started to stand, but Joe grabbed my hand. "Don't go," he said. "I'll apologize." He stared at me, his face serious, and I hesitated for a moment and then settled myself back down on the couch. "Thank you," he said. "And I'm sorry."

For some reason I started feeling foolish, and I just knew he was laughing at me on the inside. Here I was trying to act all grown up, and yet I was behaving like a child. "It's just that, uh, I ..." He stared into my eyes, and I completely forgot what it was I was about to say.

"You what?" he asked.

"I'm just not comfortable doing that here. Your mother may walk in for one thing, and really, if you think about it, we shouldn't be doing this in the first place. You've never even taken me out on a date ..." I realized what I was saying, and I stopped, silently cursing myself. I'd replaced childish with desperate.

"That's a good point," he said. "I was planning to ask you out for Saturday night but hadn't gotten around to it yet." He paused for a second, watching me intently. "What do you say?"

"Saturday's perfect," I blurted out before I could stop myself. Now there was no doubt I was, in fact, desperate. And a bit pathetic, too.

"Good," he said. "So how about this? We'll go out on Saturday, but for right now, why don't we go upstairs so you'll feel more comfortable?" His hand brushed the side of my face lightly, and his fingertip traced a path along my bottom lip. "And the moment you say 'stop,' we stop."

"I don't think that's a good idea," I told him. "What if your mom ..."

"Don't worry so much about my mother." He took my hand and pulled me up off the couch. "Come on."

His bedroom was the one that was Valerie's in my house. That meant he had the larger of the two rooms, and his was closest to the bathroom, and most likely, his mother's room, too. He opened his door, and I stood there, not wanting to go inside.

"We'll lock the door, and trust me. I'll hear my mom if she drives up."

I nodded my head and walked into his room. It was neat and tidy, and I figured his mother kept it clean. There were no posters on the wall, most likely because Mrs. Morelli wouldn't allow it, but he had a bookcase filled with books. I walked over to it and started scanning through them, when I noticed he was closing the blinds.

"Joe, I ..." I looked over at the bed, and my stomach started feeling squishy. "I can't ... um ... I can't sleep with you."

"You don't have to," he said. "We can just play for a little while." He grinned down at me, and all I could think was how gorgeous he was. "I know for a fact that you like to play." He pulled me to him and covered my mouth with his. I felt his hands moving up the back of my shirt, and instantly he'd unhooked my bra.

I pulled back and looked down at the floor. "What if I promise to leave my pants on?" he said.

I bit down on my bottom lip and didn't speak. He was watching me closely, and I felt for a brief moment that he was reading my mind. "Or what if I promise we won't go all the way?"

I nodded my head, and he took my hand and led me to his bed. We stood there a moment, and then he pulled his shirt over his head. "Now yours," he said. He watched as I undid a few of my buttons, my fingers trembling, and then he reached over and helped me with the rest. He stepped even closer to me and slowly pulled my bra down my arms, letting it fall to the floor.

I tried to cross my arms in front of me, but he pulled me close to him and gave me a hug. "You're so beautiful," he whispered. "You're different than all the other girls, Stephanie. That's why I like you so much." He kissed me softly and then lowered me down onto his bed. He must've sensed how nervous I was because he immediately tried to reassure me. "I'm not going to hurt you. _I promise_."

The next thing I knew my skirt was on the floor, Joe's pants were gone, and we were both lying there on his bed in our underwear. Joe was on top of me, kissing me, and his hands seemed to be everywhere. My mind was racing, and I could feel my body starting to tense. "Joe, I can't," I whispered. "I'm not ready."

He lifted himself up on his arms, towering above me, and gave me a gentle kiss, no tongue this time. "I know that, Stephanie. I already promised you we wouldn't. Can't you just relax and try to enjoy this?"

I closed my eyes and tried to think. I wanted to do that, but everytime he'd press into me, I could feel what was inside his underwear, and it distracted me. I wanted more than anything to experience and know what it was like to have sex, but I also wanted my first time to mean something. And deep down inside, I knew this didn't mean a single thing to him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I just can't."

He rolled over onto his side and smiled at me. "You don't have to be sorry," he told me. Then he turned in the opposite direction, reaching over to grab my shirt and bra from the floor. I laid there enjoying the view, reveling in how muscular he was and how sexy his ass looked. I had a feeling I was probably the only girl in the world who'd refused to go all the way with Joe Morelli. And at that particular moment, I just wanted to get out of that house and forget the entire day had even happened.

He handed me my clothes and then he stood up to get dressed. I crossed my arms over my breasts and watched for a moment as he slipped his shirt back on. He had the most incredible body, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep my eyes from going south and staring at the bulge in his underwear. He glanced over at me and smiled, and I quickly turned myself in the other direction, slipping my bra back on, followed by my shirt.

I stood from the bed, pulled on my skirt, and Joe straightened the covers back up. He opened his blinds and then unlocked the bedroom door. "I'll give you a ride home," he said, but I shook my head. "It's okay. I can walk."

I followed him down the stairs, and he grabbed his car keys. "I'm not going to let you walk home. Besides, I need to ask your father if I can take you out Saturday night."

I stared at him, the disbelief on my face evident, but he just smiled. "You're still going out with me, aren't you?"

"I didn't think you'd still want to," I finally managed to say.

"Of course I do. I like you, Stephanie. I like you a lot." He kissed me again, and I let out a soft sigh. Maybe my first time would mean something to him after all.

He held my hand as we walked out to his car, and I waited as he opened the door for me.

Having never been told what Joe and I had done when we were kids, my father didn't know any better, and he gave us the green light for Saturday night. As soon as Joe was gone I raced upstairs to call Mary Lou and tell her everything that had happened.

I practically had to pinch myself to prove that I wasn't dreaming. I had a _real_ date with Joe Morelli, and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.


	4. Chapter 4

After I hung up with Mary Lou, I immediately begged my father for permission to go to the mall. Mary Lou was already on the way over, so it turned out to be a good thing that he'd agreed. I found the perfect outfit, along with a brand new pair of shoes, and I spent the ride home daydreaming as to how the date would play out.

Joe didn't come back to detention until Friday afternoon, and although he sat beside me, he kept to himself. As soon as Mrs. Murphy dismissed us, he waited for me to walk ahead and then followed behind.

"Can I give you a ride?" he asked, avoiding eye contact and looking past me.

"Sure," I said, wondering if there was something wrong with my face. "Thanks."

I followed him to his car and waited while he unlocked the door. I slid in, and he shut the door behind me. We rode along in silence, and finally at a red light, he turned to face me. "So listen, about tomorrow night ..."

The flash of excitement I'd felt was immediately replaced by a sense of dread as soon as I saw the look on his face. "_Yeah_?" I asked, not really wanting to hear what he was about to say.

"Saturday's not going to work for me after all." The light turned green, and the guy behind us honked.

"_Oh._ Okay."

Neither one of us spoke until finally I asked, "Next weekend then?" I started nervously biting my fingernail, practically chewing it off, waiting for him to answer.

"Maybe. We'll have to see. You know how it is around the holidays."

He pulled up to the curb in front of my house, and I opened the door before he could get out and do it for me. "I got it," I said quickly. "Thanks for the ride."

"No sweat," he said.

I stood there a second, not really knowing what I expected or hoped for him to say.

"Well, I'll see you around." Then he winked. "Stay out of trouble. I don't want to see you in detention anymore."

I smiled and shut the door, quickly turning around before he could see the tears that were starting to roll down my cheeks. I hurried off to the front door, and as soon as I was inside, I made a beeline for the stairs.

"Was that Joe Morelli?" Valerie called out. "You were supposed to ride home with Mary Lou." She followed behind and yelled up at me, "I am _so_ gonna tell on you."

I was almost to the top when I decided I'd had enough. I hated Joe Morelli. I hated Valerie. I hated everybody. "Why don't you just shut the fuck up? You get on my damn nerves!"

Unfortunately for me, my mother decided to emerge from the kitchen at that very moment, and she'd heard everything I'd just said. "Stephanie Plum! You get down here this very instant!"

I threw my book bag down on the floor and made my way back down the stairs. I stood in front of my mother, not saying a word, and not caring a single bit what she had to say.

"What did you just say to your sister?"

Valerie stood there, smiling, a look of evil satisfaction on her face.

"You are such a bitch!" I yelled at her.

"_Stephanie_! What has gotten into you?! I will not tolerate this type of language. Go to your room, and stay there until suppertime."

"Fine with me. Then I don't have to see Valerie's stupid, ugly face!"

"She's just mad, because I caught her getting out of Joe Morelli's car instead of Mary Lou's."

I was already halfway up the stairs when my mother stopped me. "Is that true, Stephanie?"

"_Oh my God_! He gave me a ride home. What's the big deal?"

"You watch your language, young lady. And you know exactly what the big deal is. You said you were riding home with Mary Lou not that Morelli boy ..."

"Who cares?!" I yelled. "I don't really care anymore! And you know what else? I wasn't studying at the library. I was in detention. With that Morelli boy. As a matter of fact, I've been in detention all week long! What do you think of that?"

My mother gasped, and Valerie stood there grinning. "At least you have _one_ good daughter," she said, but my mother waved her off. "Valerie, go to your room."

"But ... _unh_ ... why do I ..."

"_Go to your room_!"

"But_ I_ didn't do anything."

"_Now_!"

"_Fine_," Valerie said, flouncing off. "You are such a brat," she told me.

I stuck my tongue out at her, and she narrowed her eyes at me. I walked down the rest of the stairs and stood in front of my mother.

She stood there, her arms folded, and I could see the disappointment on her face. "Stephanie, I am so ashamed of you."

I stared down at the floor, and before I could stop myself, I said exactly what I was thinking. "I don't care."

"_You don't care_?"

I kept my head down, shaking it back and forth. "Not really."

"Stephanie, what has gotten in to you?"

When I didn't answer, she decided to do it for me. "Well, I think I know exactly what the problem is. Joseph Morelli's the problem. You never had detention until he came along ..."

"He had nothing to do with it, mom. And besides, it doesn't matter. I'm not going out with him tomorrow night." I looked up at her, expecting to see her smile, but she didn't.

"I can't say I'm not happy to hear that. Both you and your sister know how those Morelli boys are ..."

"_Mom! _Do we have to do this again?" I rolled my eyes and looked down again, watching my tears drip down onto the floor.

She let out a sigh and lifted my chin. "I'm sorry if you're hurt, but it's for your own good. I don't know why your father even agreed to it in the first place."

I pulled my head away from her fingertip and stared off upstairs. "Can I go to my room now?"

My mother watched me for a moment and then nodded her head. "Go apologize to your sister, and watch your language."

_Fat chance of that_, I thought. On both accounts.

* * *

"Daddy, I'm going over to Mary Lou's." I slung my overnight bag on my shoulder and slammed the door shut behind me. It was cold outside, but I didn't care. I was so sad and depressed that I didn't even feel it.

I let myself in through the kitchen door and snagged a cookie from a plate by the stove. _Yum_. Homemade cookies, fresh from the oven, might be the cure for any and everything that ails a person.

"Mary Lou?" I called out. I walked into the living room and waved to her dad. "Hi Mr. Molnar. Is Mary Lou here?"

"Hi Stephanie. I think I heard talk of going to the grocery store. For sugar. Or maybe it was cocoa. I don't know."

"Mind if I wait upstairs for her?"

"Of course not. Go right ahead."

"Thanks." I made myself comfortable in Mary Lou's room, picking Penny Lane up and putting her on the bed with me. "Omigod, your breath stinks." I put her back down on the floor and stretched out, covering my head with one of Mary Lou's pillows.

I'd just drifted off to sleep when Mary Lou came in the room.

"God you're a bum. Wake up lazy!"

"What for? There's nothing to look forward to today." I lifted myself up, supporting my upper body with my elbows. "It's going to be a shitty day, so why not sleep?"

"It's not going to be a shitty day. Stop being so negative." She plopped down on the bed beside me and grinned. "I talked to Lenny a little while ago. He scored two six-packs, so it looks like we're gonna get wasted tonight."

I frowned at that. Drinking with Mary Lou and Lenny wasn't a whole lot of fun. They usually forgot I was in the room, and they'd start making out and fumbling with buttons and zippers before I had a chance to leave. "No thanks."

"We're still going to the movies. We'll do that before we drink. You don't mind if Lenny goes with us, do you?"

I let out a sigh. I did mind, but I couldn't exactly say that. She could obviously tell from my expression that I was less than thrilled, though, so along came the encouragements.

"Come on, Steph. We'll have fun. _I promise_."

"I don't want to go out with you and Lenny. I'll be a third wheel."

"So we'll find you a date."

I laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, right. I won't hold my breath on that one." I shook my head and pulled myself up off of the bed. "Doesn't matter anyway. I'm sick of guys. They're all jerks."

Mary Lou reached over and grabbed the phone. "Fine. Forget finding you a date."

"So who're you calling then?"

"Eddie. I'm gonna see if he'll go with us."

"He's as pathetic as I am. Of course he'll go."

"I know. That's why I'm asking him. At least that way you won't feel like a third ... Hey, Eddie. Wanna go to the movies tonight?"

She paused and then continued. "Me, Lenny, you, and Steph."

Another pause. "No, this isn't a date, dumb ass. It's just the four of us going to the movies."

I wrinkled up my nose and gave her a _"what the hell?"_ gesture with both of my hands. She shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. "Okay, meet us there at seven."

"Eddie thought it was a date?" I asked as soon as she hung up.

Mary Lou started laughing. "Maybe he thinks if he asks enough times, you'll finally call it that."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Oh come on, Steph. How long are you going to keep pretending that Eddie doesn't have the hots for you?"

"_Omigod! That's disgusting_!" I picked up her pillow and threw it at her. "Eddie's one of my best friends. He doesn't think of me like that."

"Uh, _yes he does_." She shook her head at me like I was pathetic and put the pillow back at the top of the bed. "He's a guy, Steph. He'd screw you in a heartbeat. Whether you're one of his best friends or not."

"You have problems, Mary Lou," I told her.

"No, Steph. _You_ have problems. You live in some kind of alternate reality where teenage guys sit around writing love poems and drawing hearts and never thinking about sex unless they're in love with a girl."

"That is so not true!"

Mary Lou laughed. "Come on. I smell cookies, and since neither one of us can have sex right now, chocolate's the next best thing."

We giggled and made our way downstairs, stuffing our faces with so many chocolate chip cookies I thought we'd both explode.

* * *

"Lenny and I will go get the seats. Get us a large popcorn and a large Coke." Mary Lou shoved a twenty in my face and disappeared into the crowd.

Eddie held onto my elbow and guided me towards the concession stand. "Do you want to share popcorn? We can split the cost."

"No, I'm not really hungry. I ate too many cookies earlier." I covered my mouth at the thought and fought back the urge to puke.

"Well I'll get a large, and you can share if you want. You don't have to pay me anything."

"Gee, thanks, Eddie." I thought about it for a second and realized how bitchy I sounded. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that."

Eddie shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "It's okay. I understand you're having a rough ..." I saw him cringe and then he smacked his forehead. "Sorry. I'm so stupid."

"It's okay. It's not a big deal. I mean, something came up. That's all. I'll get to go out with Joe another time." I'd worked hard to get myself to that point mentally, and I was feeling quite proud and very grown-up.

Eddie grinned and patted my head playfully. "Now that's the right attitude." He started to say something else, but almost immediately I saw the smile on his face fade. He pulled my arm and jerked me forward. "Come on. We better get in line."

"Do you think you can get it yourself? I've got to pee really bad." I started to turn around, but Eddie pulled me again.

"No, I need help. I can't carry all this by myself."

"Geez, Eddie, I'll be right back." I whipped around and smacked right into someone. Someone tall. Someone muscular. Someone extremely hot and dreamy. Someone who just happened to be named Joe Morelli.

"Hey," he said with a sheepish smile. I stood and watched as Jenny approached, sucking on her straw as if it were something else.

"Come on, Joe. I want seats in the back." She smiled at me, with her stupid slutty self, and it was all I could do to keep from punching her in the face. So instead I turned my wrath on Joe.

"You're a fucking pig," I said to him.

"Stephanie, this isn't how it looks ..."

"_Oh please_. Spare me!" I yelled. "I don't give a shit about your excuses. You make me sick."

"God, Joe, what the fuck is with all the drama?" Jenny whined. "You're supposed to be on a date with me, not talking to some other girl."

"Shut up!" he told her.

"_What_?"

"You heard me. _Shut up_." She narrowed her eyes at him and flounced off into the theater.

He turned back to me, his face apologetic, but I wasn't buying it. "Stephanie, I wanted to take you out tonight. I really did ..."

"Oh, but Jenny's a sure thing, huh?"

"That's not what this is about."

"You are so full of shit!" I yelled. A couple of kids at the counter turned around and looked at me, but I didn't care. "_What_?" I yelled at them, and they quickly turned back around.

"Come on Steph," Eddie said. "He's not worth making a scene."

I glared at Joe and then turned to Eddie. "You're right. He's not."

"Stephanie," Joe said, reaching out and grabbing hold of my arm. "Can I at least explain?"

I jerked my arm away and narrowed my eyes at him. "There's not a single explanation good enough. Don't touch me, don't look at me, don't ever speak to me again. As far as I'm concerned you don't exist."

I turned my back to him and managed to remain calm while I waited for the girl to hand over the two buckets of popcorn. As soon as she sat them down, I snatched them up and stomped off to the theater. I found Mary Lou and Lenny, shoved the popcorn at them, and rushed out towards the bathroom. I managed to lock myself into a stall before I burst into tears.

A few minutes later I heard a gentle knock on the door. "Stephanie? We don't have to stay for the movie. Okay?"

I wiped my face with some toilet paper and opened the door. I could see in Mary Lou's eyes how bad she felt for me, and that made me cry even harder.

"Come on. Let's get out of here," she said softly.

I started to argue, but I couldn't. I hated to ruin everyone's night, but that movie theater was the last place I wanted to be. I couldn't stand the thought of being in the same building as Joe and Jenny. I imagined her unzipping his jeans, sucking on him the same way she'd done to the straw. "Can ... can you just take me home? Then you can come back?"

"No way. I'm not gonna do that to you." She smiled and pulled toilet paper off my cheek. "We'll go back to my house. We have lots of Kleenex you can use. Works better than that stuff."

I sniffled and blew my nose and laughed in spite of myself. "Okay," I said weakly, following behind her, keeping my head down in case Joe was still lurking nearby.

* * *

"Okay, so what else do you want to do to torture him?"

It was Sunday afternoon, and I was prolonging my stay at the Molnar house. I'd blown off church that morning, and I knew I was in big trouble. I was surprised my mother hadn't called and ordered me home just so she could yell at me, but at that point, I really didn't care. I'd let her yell, pretend to listen, pretend to be sorry, and shut myself up in my room for the rest of the day.

I plopped down on the stool in Mary Lou's kitchen and wiped the tears from my eyes. "Nothing. I don't want anything to do with him. I hate him," I wailed.

I'd cried all the way home from the movies, I'd cried the entire time Mary Lou tried to comfort me by badmouthing him, and I'd cried myself to sleep. I'd been pretty certain I was all cried out, but lo and behold I'd found a few more tears that hadn't managed to escape the night before.

Mary Lou held up a 4x6 card and grinned. "I found it in my mom's magazine. Guess who's getting a subscription to PlayGirl magazine?"

"Omigod, Mary Lou! You can't do that!"

"Sure I can. Imagine the look on Mrs. Morelli's face when the bill comes in the mail. I wonder if they go ahead and send the first issue before it's paid? That'd be hilarious."

"Please don't mail that in! _Please_!"

"Oh, and when I stopped for doughnuts a little while ago, I left a poem about him on the wall in the girl's bathroom at the Tasty Pastry."

"_No!_"

"Uh, yes!"

"What did you write Mary Lou?!"

"Something along the lines of _'Joe Morelli thinks he's a stud, but in the sack, he's really a dud. His dick is too small, he's got no balls _..."

"Oh shit. Please tell me you're lying?!"

"No, I'm not lying, Steph. You're my best friend. I'm not going to let him get away with this. Even if he is Joe Morelli."

"I know you mean well, but you can't ..."

But Mary Lou wasn't listening. "And now, for the grand finale." She grabbed the phone and started dialing, while I unsuccessfully tried to grab it away from her."

"It's Sunday, Mary Lou. His whole family will be there," I whispered.

"I know that," she said between clenched teeth, pushing my hand away. "Hello? Is Joe there?"

She held the phone out so I could hear. "No he's not," either Tony or Paul said. "Can I take a message for him?"

"Yes," Mary Lou said, then immediately she started to fake cry. I gave her a _'what the hell are you doing?'_ look, but she kept going. "Yes," she stammered again. "Please tell him to call me as soon as he gets home. I-I took the test, and it's positive."

My mouth dropped, and I covered it instantly, not so much because I was about to speak, but because I was in complete and utter shock.

There was silence on the other end, and finally Joe's brother repeated, "_Positive_?"

"Mmm-hmm," Mary Lou sniffled.

"Who is this?"

"Joe will know who this is. Just have him call me. I think we need to talk about this." Then she hung up the phone, bursting into laughter.

"Mary Lou! He is so going to know that you and I are doing this."

"I don't care. He deserves it. He's a dickless piece of shit."

Mrs. Molnar walked into the room, carrying two bags of groceries, and it was obvious she'd heard everything. "I'm guessing you're talking about Joe Morelli. What are you girls doing to him?"

"He's a jerk, mom. He deserves everything he gets."

"That may be, but sometimes people do things that they really don't want to do." She paused and turned her attention back to the bags on the counters. "Listen, you two need to just stop torturing the guy."

"What do you care?" Mary Lou grabbed a few grapes and popped them into her mouth. "And how can you defend him?"

Her mom sat a can of pork 'n beans down on the counter and looked over at us. "I overheard something Thursday when I was helping out at the church." She paused and stared directly at me. "Stephanie, if I tell you this, you have to promise me that you'll stay calm and not run out of here in a snit."

I nodded my head, but she still hesitated. "I'm serious, Stephanie. You have to give me your word."

"I promise."

She reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of t.v. dinners. "I overheard your mother talking to Angie Morelli."

I looked over at Mary Lou and swallowed hard. I knew what Mrs. Molnar was about to say, so I finished for her. "She told her to tell Joe to cancel our date?"

Mrs. Molnar nodded her head. "Basically that was the gist of the conversation."

"I can't believe this!" I jumped up from the stool and was heading towards the door.

"Stephanie, _you promised_."

I stopped dead in my tracks, my hand still resting on the knob, and sighed. "I can't believe my mother did that!"

"I can," Mary Lou chimed in. "She's hated Joe since you were kids. When she found out he tricked you out of your underwear."

"Yes, I know, Mary Lou."

"And you said she was pissed that your dad gave permission for Joe to take you out."

"Yes, I know, Mary Lou." I didn't mean to be so short with her, but I was still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that my mother had ruined my life and obviously didn't even care.

Mrs. Molnar fumbled around in her purse until she found her pack of cigarettes. She pulled one out, put it between her lips, then reached into her pocket for her lighter. She lit up, took a long drag, and then slowly blew smoke out of her mouth, thankfully in the opposite direction. She pointed to the stool, so I sat back down. She grabbed her ash tray and leaned over on the counter, facing me.

"Stephanie, parents aren't perfect. We do what we think is best for our children, and sometimes we forget to take into account how it's going to affect them."

"That's not true," I told her. "You don't interfere with Mary Lou and Lenny."

"I try not to, but there have been times I've been tempted." She rested her cigarette on the edge of the ash tray and popped open a can of Diet Coke. "Obviously your mother was doing what she thought was best for you."

"Well who asked her? I sure as hell didn't."

"She's your mother, Stephanie. She loves you, and she's afraid Joe's going to break your heart. She wants to protect you."

"I don't need her to do that."

"You'll understand all of this one day when you have kids of your own."

"I'm _never_ having kids. Not if it means I'm going to fuck up their lives the way my mother does mine."

"Stephanie, all of us mother's know the type of boy that Joe Morelli is. For me to sit here and pretend otherwise is just stupid. I'm not saying what she did was right, but I can understand it."

"How can you say that? Why is it okay for Mary Lou to be with Lenny, but ..."

"Stephanie, have you thought long and hard about this? Are you ready to get involved sexually with him when you're not even sure what it is that he wants?"

Mary Lou squirmed on her stool and refused to look at me. Obviously she confided in her mother about my drama, as well.

"It was just an innocent date. He was taking me to the movies ... "

"Stephanie, honey, this is me you're talking to."

I blew out a sigh and covered my hands over my face. "Why does everyone think he only wants one thing from me? Why can't anyone think he actually likes me?"

Mrs. Molnar walked over to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. "Stephanie, I don't doubt for a second that he likes you. Just like I don't doubt for a second that he wants to sleep with you." She gave me a gentle squeeze and then went back to unloading the groceries. "Let him prove himself. If he really wants to go out with you, he'll find a way. Your mother won't be able to stop him."

I nodded my head and looked over at Mary Lou. She gave me a weak smile and then pulled my arm. "Come on. Let's go find something to do."

"Stephanie, one more thing." Mrs. Molnar put down her cigarette and stared at me. "I'd like you to think about it before you confront your mother, if that's what you're planning to do. Ask yourself if, in the long run, it's going to do more harm than good."

I stood there quietly, thinking about what she had just said. How could I not confront my mother? She was talking crazy talk, and I wondered if she was smoking something besides an ordinary cigarette.

She saw the look on my face, so she tried again to explain. "If you're serious about wanting to date Joe, it might be in your best interest to let things go for now. The more you stir the pot with your mother, the more difficult it's going to be to actually go out with him. At least without having to sneak behind her back."

I nodded my head and decided she might be right. Of course I figured I'd probably have to sneak behind my mother's back to do it anyway, but that didn't really matter. First things first, though, Mary Lou and I had to get over to the Tasty Pastry and clean the bathroom wall. Then I had to get up the nerve to apologize to Joe for the way I'd acted at the movie theater.

"Why does all of this have to be so hard?" I asked Mary Lou as soon as we got into her car. "All I wanted was a nice, innocent date with Joe Morelli."

Mary Lou laughed at that. "Bullshit, and you know it."

I feigned anger, and then I laughed. "Okay, fine. All I wanted was to watch a nice, innocent movie with Joe Morelli and then let him have his way with me afterwards."

We both giggled at that, and I was starting to feel better. He'd tried to explain things, but I wouldn't let him. Hopefully that meant he did feel bad about breaking the date, and if I was lucky, I still had a chance to go out with him. I'd just have to tell him not to worry about my mother, because I certainly wasn't worried. Nothing was going to stand in my way. _Absolutely nothing._


	5. Chapter 5

Mary Lou and I scrubbed the bathroom wall clean, for all the good that it did. I ended up almost wishing I'd left it there, in hopes that Joe would've called me or come looking for me. Being confronted angrily would've been much better than being ignored. Being ignored sucked. Especially when the ignorer was someone I desperately wanted to kiss.

I'd looked for him at school on Monday but never did find him. Tuesday came and went, without a sighting, and by the time Thursday rolled around, I was ready to set up camp by his locker until he reappeared.

I'd finally given up hope of ever seeing him again, and then Friday morning, I asked for a hall pass from Mr. Davis so I could use the restroom. Just as I was turning the corner, on my way back to class, I spotted him. All six feet of head to toe gorgeousness, looking incredibly hot in faded Levi's and a pair of scuffed up boots. He was wearing a black leather jacket, and his hair was falling over his forehead, covering one of his eyes. I stood there a moment, taking in the sight of him, as well as working up the nerve to speak.

I took a deep breath and walked forward, stopping about a foot away from where he stood. "Hi," I said with a smile.

He glanced over in my direction then turned his attention back to the books inside his locker. "Hey," he mumbled. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

I wanted to ask him the same thing, but of course I didn't. "Yeah, I'm on my way back." I shifted my weight back and forth between my feet nervously, trying to find a more casual and relaxed position. "I, uh, saw you and wanted to ask ..." I paused, hoping he'd look at me, but he didn't. "Um, I wanted to ask you about the other night."

He slammed his locker shut and locked down at me, raising an eyebrow. "The other night?"

"At the movies ..."

"Oh. Yeah." He leaned back and rested himself against the row of lockers, staring at me intently.

"I ... uh ... I know that my mother had something to do with ..." I hesitated and then stared down at the pile of books in my arms. "With you cancelling our date."

"_What_?"

I stared up into his sexy brown eyes, and I wanted to melt. "I know that my mother said something to your mother about ..."

"Steph, I'm not really sure what you're talking about, but I could care less what our mother's say to each other."

"Oh." I stood there, feeling like an idiot, and I could feel the color rising in my cheeks. If he didn't know what I was talking about, then that meant he'd cancelled our date because he just didn't want to go out with me. And that was embarrassing. And humiliating. And it pissed me off.

He stood there watching me, obviously waiting for me to say something else.

I shrugged my shoulders and offered a smile. "Oh, okay. Never mind then. I just thought my mom was interfering with my life again. I didn't want you thinking ..."

He reached out and brushed the hair off of my forehead. "I like what you're wearing. Makes your tits look bigger."

"Oh. Thanks."

He started to laugh, and then he pulled himself upright. "I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay." I gave him yet another smile and watched as he turned, and out of nowhere, I found the courage to follow after him.

"Uh, Joe?"

He stopped dead in his tracks, and I thought I heard him sigh. "_Yeah_?" he asked, the exasperation in his voice evident, and he turned to stare at me.

"Um, why were you at the movies with Jenny? I mean, I thought the two of us ..."

"Something came up, and then it fell through." He raised an eyebrow at me, as if daring me to continue with my questions.

"I know, but ..."

"Look, Steph. I like you. You're cute. You've got a nice body." His eyes lingered on my breasts, and then he shook his head. "But you're too young for me. Okay?"

I stood there a second, thinking about that, and it made me even more mad. "Hunh. That's funny. I'm the same age as Jenny."

Joe smirked and shook his head. "_Really_? Well, then I guess it's not about age after all. You can't compare yourself to Jenny."

I narrowed my eyes at him and resisted the urge to smack him. "That's true. I'm not a slut."

He laughed and gave me another one of his full body stares. "No, you're definitely not a slut." He raked his hand through his hair and let out a sigh. "It's like this. If you want to sleep with me, that's great. I'm ready whenever you are. But I'm pretty sure that's not all that you want."

I started to speak when he interrupted me. "You want the truth? Here goes. I'm not going to send you flowers, or write you goofy love poems, or call you constantly just to say 'hi.' I'm not going to be your boyfriend and take you out on dates, Stephanie."

"Oh, but you can take Jenny to the movies? That's not dating?"

"Steph, do you really think we watched the movie?" He started laughing and shook his head, like I was just too pathetic for words. "We had a really good time that night, or at least _I_ did, and I don't have to worry about calling her, checking in with her, or meeting mom and dad. None of that kind of crap."

"Yeah, I get it. You don't have to see her again until the next time you're horny."

He started laughing and slung his bookbag up on his shoulder. "Exactly. Maybe you're not so clueless after all."

He reached out and tugged on one of my curls, and I smacked his hand away. "Fuck you, Joe."

He laughed again and started off down the hall. A few seconds later he turned around to face me, walking backwards as he spoke. "I like it when you talk that way." He continued laughing, his eyes once again scanning my body. "Why don't you go out with Eddie? I bet he'd write you a poem. Maybe even sing you a love song."

I flipped him the bird, turned on my heels, and walked out of the school, ignoring his laughter and Mr. Davis' history class.

* * *

"You are in so much trouble," Valerie yelled the minute she walked into the house.

"Leave me alone," I grumbled. I flipped off the television and stood up from the sofa. I collected all my empty wrappers, the bag of chips, and tucked my empty glass in the crook of my arm. "I didn't feel good, so I came home."

"You can't just leave school like that Steph. You have to have permission."

"Yeah, well, who cares? So what's going to happen to me? Mom and Dad'll ground me. Whoop-de-doo. It's not like I have a life anyway. And on the plus side, maybe I'll get suspended. That'd make it all worth it." I let out a sigh and walked towards the kitchen, and Valerie followed behind me.

"What's wrong with you?" Her voice still had an edge to it, but for once she actually seemed sincere in her worry.

"Nothing. I just didn't feel good. I needed to get out of there."

"It's obvious what's wrong with you, you know."

I turned around to face her and crossed my arms underneath my breasts. "Okay, Freud, I'll bite. What's wrong with me?"

"You slept with Joe, and now he doesn't want anything to do with you."

I let out a chuckle and shook my head. "Joe Morelli _wishes_ he could sleep with me. He's a scumbag, and I wouldn't give him the time of day."

Valerie looked at me suspiciously and raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe you."

"I don't care what you believe."

"Yeah, you never have."

"What does it matter, Valerie? You want to think I drink and smoke and screw every guy who talks to me. Why should I bother with you?"

"Because I'm your sister. And you should care what I think."

"Okay, fine. Then start believing me. Yes, Mary Lou and I try our best to get invited to all the parties, but I don't ever drink. I've never smoked, because it's nasty and disgusting, and yes, I'm still a virgin." I stared her down and raised an eyebrow. "Your turn."

"_What_? What do you think _I_ have to tell _you_?"

"Exactly, Val. You hide behind this little charade of being so perfect. Your clothes are perfect, your hair is perfect, your grades are perfect. Blah, blah, blah. You already know which college you're going to, and your main goals in life are to get accepted into the most popular sorority and immediately find a husband. One with parents who belong to a country club and that golfs every Saturday."

"Those sound like good goals to me, and there isn't a single thing wrong with trying to achieve perfection and have the ideal life."

"But that's just it. How do you even know what the ideal life is?"

"I just do, Steph. I can't explain it."

"Well, I don't have a clue what's ideal. Or what I want." I propped my elbow up on the counter and used the palm of my hand to support my head. "I just felt like I was suffocating today, and I had to get out of there." I was trying my best not to cry, but a tiny tear slipped out before I could stop it.

"Stephanie, you still have time to decide what you want to do when you graduate. Just chill out, and don't stress about it. You'll figure it out. And if you're worried about guys, my best advice is don't. Mr. Right is out there. And you'll find each other one day." She gave me a smile, and for the first time, I didn't feel like Valerie was my enemy.

"Thanks." I wiped my eyes and nodded my head. I hated to admit it, but Valerie had actually made me feel better. Even though I still wanted Joe Morelli to die a horrible and painful death. Okay, so maybe I didn't. Maybe a sudden case of limp-dick the next time he was with Jenny would work. She'd tell the whole school, and he'd be as humiliated as I was. Yeah, that sounded good.

Something white caught my attention and brought me back to reality. Valerie was passing me a Kleenex and smirking. "Well at least you seem to be feeling better," she said. "Which is good, because you're still in big trouble." She turned around and walked out of the kitchen, and I shook my head in disgust. Some things just never changed.

* * *

Two weeks passed, and I was finally "ungrounded." My parents had hoped that I'd spend that time thinking about what I'd done and trying to improve my attitude. Unfortunately for them, my attitude was even worse than before, and I was now determined to forget all about Joe Morelli, even if it killed me.

I may have been bitter, but I'd also been wise, and I'd spent my free time babysitting and earning money. My mother had given her approval for me to work for two families from our church, and I spent practically every afternoon and evening at one of their homes. Weekends included. And at the end of that two weeks, I had over two hundred dollars to show for it. Combined that with the money I had hidden in an old purse in my closet, and I was sitting on a pretty nice chunk of change. Three hundred eighty-two dollars and fifty-seven cents to be exact. And I knew exactly what I was doing with most of it.

"Okay, I'll be waiting out front for you," I told Mary Lou. "But hurry. It's cold outside."

"I'm out the door as soon as we hang up."

Fifteen minutes later, I was still freezing my ass off and cursing Mary Lou. Finally I heard the rumble of her car, and she barely stopped long enough for me to hop in.

"_I'm out the door as soon as we hang up_," I mimicked. "Out the door my ass! What the hell took you so long?!"

"Damn Steph. Chill out. Lenny called, and we had a fight."

I let out a sigh and rolled my eyes. "What else is new?"

"He's a dickhead. We broke up."

"Again? You realize Christmas is just two weeks away, right? Who breaks up right before Christmas?"

"I'm not celebrating this year, so what does it matter?"

"Alright! There's some good news for once. That makes one less present I have to buy."

"Damn, you've turned into a bitch over the past two weeks."

I messed with the radio until I found a song that I liked. "No, I've just decided I'm going to speak my mind and be the person I've always wanted to be."

Mary Lou raised a questioning eyebrow at me, then stared ahead. "So what's with the trip to the mall?"

"The trip to the mall is because I want new clothes. I'm tired of dressing the way that I do. I'm tired of looking so sweet and virginal."

"You are sweet and virginal."

"Yeah, and I intend to stay that way. Well at least the virginal part. I have no intentions of becoming a slut, but I'm tired of looking like Valerie. Her and my mom have the same taste, and I'm stuck going along with them." I pulled out the wad of cash and grinned. "But not any more. I'm going to get my own style and be my own person. And I'm going to get a job. After Christmas. I want my own money, so I can get a car. And keep buying the clothes that I want to wear."

I finished my rant, and Mary Lou looked over at me, smiling. "This is good. I like the new you."

"But that's the thing. It's not really a new me. I'm still the same person. I just finally have the courage to step out of my shell and be what I feel on the inside. And I have every intention of getting guys to look at me. And the next time Joe Morelli tells me whatever I'm wearing makes my tits look bigger, I'm going to slap him and tell him too bad for him that he'll never see them. Or touch them. As far as I'm concerned, he no longer exists."

Mary Lou laughed again and pulled into the parking lot in front of Macy's. "Well come on then. It sounds like we've got a lot to do, so let's get shopping."

I slammed the car door shut and slung my purse on my shoulder. "Damn straight."

We giggled and hurried into Macy's, not emerging until two hours later. I had six huge bags and thirty-four cents left to show for it, but as far as I was concerned, it was money well spent.

Life was good, and I was going to do my best to make Joe Morelli invisible to me.


End file.
